An Accident with the Millionaire

2 - A Night With Elvis

Dafne White's POV

"Yes, I accept," I say confidently, even though inside, a thousand reasons scream otherwise. But I won't let them cloud my mind. "In that case, it would be my honor to accompany you on this cruise..."

"I'm Dafne." I extend my hand to shake his.

"Passengers, please board!" a voice booms from the dock, making me gasp.

"We have to board." I grab my suitcase and hurry forward, him following close behind.

"They're watching you; they won't let you down there," he says with amusement.

We reach the boarding area, and I hand our tickets to the dockhand.

"These tickets are invalid, miss." He raises an eyebrow at me.

"That's impossible, I bought them myself." I frown.

"Perhaps you should check with whoever sold them to you because..."

"Hello, I'm Bruce. I believe there's been a mix-up." A stranger speaks with such confidence that I can only stare at him in surprise. "Please, check them again." He stands before the dockhand, who frowns, then looks at Bruce's face before examining the tickets once more.

"They're still not showing as valid, but I can take you to my manager so he can review them."

"But we need to board," I protest, unable to believe this is happening.

"I'll accompany him to speak with the manager," my unexpected companion, Bruce, offers.

How crazy am I? I don't even know his last name, and I just invited him on a cruise with me. This is the craziest thing I've ever done.

"I'll make sure they compensate you for this misunderstanding. You're not going to run off and leave me here, forcing me to wash dishes to pay for my ticket, are you?" he jokes. I laugh, because he very well could; I don't even know him. But I'm not that kind of person.

"I'll wait here." He walks away with the dockhand.

Oh my God! What am I doing?

I'm just trying to lift my spirits, that's all. And I will succeed because my name is Dafne White.

They return quickly, much to my relief. For a moment, I thought the tickets were fake and that I'd been scammed.

"There was an error, miss. To compensate, we're upgrading you to a better room, all-inclusive." My eyes widen in surprise. "You may board now."

I walk up the ramp and onto the enormous, beautiful ship.

"I suppose we'll have to share a room," he casually remarks beside me.

"What? No, that's... I won't do that. I barely know you." I laugh nervously.

"That didn't stop you from inviting me on board, did it? I know, my gaze captivated you, and you thought I'd be a more pleasant view than staring at the ocean for the entire trip." He arches an eyebrow.

"How presumptuous. I'm starting to regret inviting you." I roll my eyes.

"Don't worry, I have a room next to yours. I'm not that desperate to share with you." He chuckles.

"Nor am I interested in doing so." He raises both eyebrows.

"I don't know about that. You're here because you didn't want to come alone."

"The truth is, I overheard you couldn't board, and I wanted to do a good deed." He laughs heartily.

"A good deed? Please, I don't need charity." I frown, annoyed.

"Then you should have disembarked." He shrugs.

"Sorry, sweetheart, not possible." I watch as the ship pulls further and further away from the dock.

"I can't believe this. I refuse to spend this trip enduring your arrogance." I shoot him a glare.

"Should have thought of that before you were captivated by my appearance." He smirks.

The nerve of this guy!

"That's not what happened, Bruce. Oh my God!" I'm not going to survive this trip. "Enjoy the cruise, and thanks for nothing." I stalk off with my suitcase, entering the ship's interior.

I search for the cabins and finally find the corridor with my room number. I hear footsteps behind me. I turn around and see him there, smirking. I quickly spin back around, irritated.

I already dislike this arrogant man. He thinks he's God's gift. If he's so perfect, why did he accept a ticket from someone like me?

You're an i***t, Dafne!

Of all the annoying, idiotic men in the world, I had to run into this one.

"I don't know about you, but I have the room keys." He sighs, and I realize he's right.

This is so frustrating!

I turn around and hold out my hand. He shows me the keys, and I reluctantly take mine.

"There. Now we can both do whatever we please." I walk towards the door with my room number and unlock it. I glance at him as he smiles and unlocks his own door.

I step inside, ignoring him. The room is beautiful, much more than I expected.

It has a large bed and is equipped with everything I need. There's a sliding glass door that leads to a small balcony overlooking the water, with a railing to prevent accidental falls.

I set down my things and sigh.

I came to have fun, to relax, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I take a shower, change into something comfortable, and check the minibar. They have alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. I decide to start my day with a drink, since dinner and dancing are scheduled for tonight, and I plan to enjoy myself to the fullest.

Four glasses of wine later, the delicious, sweet, and refreshing drink has warmed me from the inside out. I walk to the balcony, slide the door open, and step outside, letting the cool air wash over me. Glass in hand, I lean back against the railing and close my eyes, sighing in contentment.

"Don't fall overboard. In the state I'm in, I won't be able to rescue you, and I'd end up drowning with you."

I open my eyes and glance to my right. He's leaning against the railing, a glass filled with amber liquid and ice cubes in his hand.

"I would never fall." The ship rocks, and I gasp in surprise, spilling wine on my dress. It clings to me now, even more so because I'm not wearing a bra.

"Never say never." He runs his tongue over his lips, his eyes intense as they rake over my body.

Damn, I'm very drunk!

"Have a nice evening, Bruce." I retreat into my room, a little unsteady as I set down my wine glass.

*****

Night arrives, and I search my suitcase for the most stunning and daring dress I can find.

Grace would be proud of me!

I finish my makeup, my senses a bit off from all the alcohol I consumed.

I leave my room and see him exiting his. I can't deny that he looks good. His physique, those eyes...

If he wants something from me, he won't have it easy.

I walk past him, my chin held high, and I can feel his eyes on me. I refuse to turn around.

I descend to the ship's main lounge. Dinner must be over, but I don't care. The music is loud, and my body craves the dance floor. I obey, losing myself in the crowd, swaying to the rhythm.

The music changes, but I keep dancing, drink in hand. I feel so good, so full of energy.

I order a tequila and down it in one gulp. I don't know why I never do this.

Heat floods my body, and I see him watching me from his seat across the room. His eyes seem to undress me.

I smile and sway my hips provocatively, making him come to me, making him the desperate one.

Just one song, and he's walking towards me. It's a boost to my ego, the way his gaze seems to pierce me.

"Dance with me, or you'll get bored," I tease.

"That sounded more like a statement than a question." He smiles and licks his lips.

"Dance with me, stranger?" I step closer, running my hands up his arms.

He doesn't hesitate to pull me close, his hands settling on my waist as we move together. His touch sends shivers down my spine.

"Did you think you could hide from me on a small cruise?" he murmurs in my ear.

"There aren't many places to hide, after all."

"Not that you know of. I know a few." His breath tickles my neck, and I gasp.

We dance for what feels like hours, his hands exploring my body, igniting a fire within me.

"GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE!" Lights illuminate a small stage. "WELCOME TO NEVADA II CRUISE NIGHT! ARE YOU HAVING FUN?" A man dressed as Elvis speaks from the stage. "If you can't go to Vegas, Vegas comes to you! ARE YOU READY FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT?"

The crowd roars, and I join in.

"Want an unforgettable night?" he whispers in my ear.

"Of course. And if you tell me that Elvis will marry us to make it happen, I'll say yes to anything." I giggle.

"Then Elvis will marry us, because with me, everything is unforgettable." He chuckles.

*****

I try to open my eyes, but my head feels like it's been trampled by an elephant.

Ouch!

I shift slightly and reach out, my hand landing on something warm and firm.

This can't be!

I move my hand a little more, feeling something hard and...

"I'd prefer it if you removed your hand from there. I'm still half asleep." I open my eyes and scramble out of bed in a panic. "Don't look at me like that. I have no idea how we ended up here either."

Me neither. The last thing I remember is leaving my room, and then nothing.